Police investigating MP Louis Ng for possible offence of public assembly without permit
MP Louis Ng poses with hawkers at Yishun Park Hawker Centre in a photo posted on Facebook on Jun 20, 2020. (Photo: Facebook/Louis Ng Kok Kwang)
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) on Wednesday (Mar 3) said that it is looking into a possible offence of public assembly without a permit by MP Louis Ng (PAP-Nee Soon).
The police said that they have already interviewed Mr Ng, and that investigations are ongoing.
Mr Ng made a Facebook post in June last year about his trip to Yishun Park Hawker Centre.
The post included four photos, in which Mr Ng could be seen holding up a piece of paper with the words “Support Them” and a smiley face in front of several hawker stalls.
On Wednesday, Mr Ng said on his Facebook page that he had been asked by the police to provide a statement on the matter, and has done so.
He said that he was on his regular walkabout at the Yishun Park Hawker Centre in June last year, and wanted to urge residents to support the hawkers.
“This was an especially important walkabout as we had just emerged from the circuit breaker. I was there to make sure our hawkers were doing okay. As we all know, they suffered badly during the circuit breaker,” Mr Ng said.
“I also wanted to urge our residents to support our hawkers and held a sign indicating this and took photos together with the hawkers," he said.
Mr Ng added that, separately, he had also held up a sign in January for a video introducing the first parliamentary motion on climate change.
“To clarify, that sign was an empty piece of cardboard. The words were superimposed into the video which I posted,” Mr Ng said.
Organising or participating in a public assembly without a police permit is illegal in Singapore. Â
Under the Public Order Act, an assembly means a gathering or meeting for the following purposes: To demonstrate support for or opposition to the views or actions of any person, group or government; to publicise a cause or campaign; or to mark or commemorate any event. The Act also applies to demonstrations by a person alone.
